To establish a program that enhances communication among the students, classroom teachers, academic & athletic coaches and the parent/guardian that will promote success by the student in the classroom first and then all other areas. Tackling grade-point averages is a top priority, and the goal is for all of the Pathway to Manhood/Womanhood students to have a GPA equal or above 2.5.

Pathway To Manhood/Womanhood is conducting a mentoring program that provides academic support, social support, S.T.E.M. and Financial Literacy for students.  This is to ensure students are prepared academically to graduate from high school where they will choose either to attend college, attend trade school or join the military and use it as a trade school. 

Financial Literacy will show students how to open a checking account, read a credit report, understand opportunities in finance as a career, investing, mortgages, car loans, personal loans and other financial opportunities.  The program will also provide peer mentoring, training in leadership, life skills and healthy living. 

Much has been proclaimed about the need for more S.T.E.M. “programs” in our schools.  The acronym S.T.E.M. stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.  The logic is simple: the wave of future economic prosperity lies in a workforce that is well-versed in rising job markets like science, technology, engineering and math.  These initiatives are a wonderful start in the exploration of these four areas of study; thus, there has been an increased investment in S.T.E.M. initiatives in schools.  Having this background information in place will allow us to demonstrate our positioning of the tutoring program.

Activities for our proposed study table will include peer mentoring, training in leadership, financial literacy, life skills, and healthy living. Various strategies will be implemented to achieve the desired outcome of increasing high school graduation rates, higher education attendance, knowledge of life and educational skills, and discipline to insure successful transitions to higher education.

We have spoken with a number of potential partners to enhance the academic achievement opportunities for our students.  These partners include school districts, Lewis and Clark Community College, and the Boys & Girls Club of Alton, along with the assistance of private donors, desiring to partner together.

Our tutors will be talented volunteers with college degrees; and it is our hope to secure many certified teachers.  However, most importantly, they will all have a passion for education. We believe that ALL students can learn, achieve, and experience success! We will help our students believe in their own success by building their self-confidence and academic achievements.

Our purpose is three-fold:

Enhance the academic achievement opportunities for students; and follow them throughout their high school careers

Help incoming freshman students with the transition from middle school to high school

Emphasize assisting 9th grade students but open the program to student at all grade levels who are interested.